Psychology 2820E Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Logical Positivism, Representativeness Heuristic, Scientific Method
19 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
People seem to have an inherent tendency to try to understand and explain how things work. One of the most often suggested and used sources is what is called common knowledge or common sense, often captured in clich d explanations of behaviour. The aim of psychology should be: enhancing above the levels achieved by common sense our powers of predicting, understanding and controlling human action. Psychology uses scientific method to generate quantitative data, guided by the positive view of reality and knowledge. Qualitative research gives meaning, through interviews, etc. Photo voice: give voice to an individual by allowing them to take photos and explain why they took that photo. Being able to critically ask whether something you read, are told, hear, or believe based on common knowledge allows you to assess the information you are given. Heuristic: a simplifying mental shortcut that is used to make intuitive judgements and predictions. Must be derived from publicly verifiable, objective observations.
